David Lee Palmer (born November 19, 1972 in
Birmingham, Alabama) is a former
professional American football wide receiver who played seven seasons for the
Minnesota Vikings in the
National Football League.
High school
Palmer was a star
football player for
Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham, Alabama. Palmer played
quarterback and a variety of positions. Although small in stature, Palmer was difficult to
tackle by opposing defenders.
College
Palmer signed to play
college football at the
University of Alabama. Wearing number 2 and nicknamed "The Deuce", during his career for the
Crimson Tide, Palmer became the school's first 1000 yard receiver in a single season. During his junior season, Palmer was an
All-American at Alabama and a finalist for the
Heisman Trophy finishing 3rd in the voting. Palmer, arguably, was one of the first "wildcat" quarterbacks. He was often known to take snaps directly under center and run to the right side of the line.He is said to be one of the greatest players to ever come out of the University of Alabama.
Palmer elected not to finish his collegiate career, turning pro after the
1993 college football season. He was a second round pick for the
Minnesota Vikings in the
1994 NFL Draft.
Professional career
Palmer played 7 NFL seasons, all with the Vikings. His career highlights include leading the league in punt returns during the 1995 season. For his career he returned 2 punts and 1 kickoff for touchdowns.
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